What are bacteria?

Bacteria and beyond

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by Mya Kagan (whyzz writer) >> more about the author

Have you ever noticed that the answers to lots of questions have to do with bacteria?? Why do feet smell bad? Why does milk go sour? Why do you get sick? -- These questions (and more!) all have bacteria at the heart of their answer! So if these “bacteria” are so important, then what are they, and why can’t you even see them?!

Bacteria are tiny little critters that are too small for you to see without a microscope. (So small, in fact, that it would take about a million of them just to cover the head of a pin!) It might be hard to imagine, but they’re a type of living organism that is neither a plant nor an animal -- they fall into a special scientific category called “prokaryotes” and are known for being organisms that are single-celled.

Bacteria are found pretty much everywhere that you can imagine, and they have lots of important jobs. Since many sicknesses are caused by kinds of bacteria, they sometimes get a reputation for being harmful or unwanted. But in truth, lots of bacteria are actually good little helpers that you want and need to have around -- they assist with everything from digesting food to turning milk into cheese to decomposing natural wastes in the environment!

One of the coolest things about bacteria is how quickly they’re able to multiply! Because they can make new bacteria so quickly, bacteria usually occur in large groups, with a whole bunch of them all in one place. Some types of bacteria can double in number in just twenty minutes!

Bacteria here, bacteria there!

Scientists believe that bacteria have likely been on our planet for about 75% of Earth’s history! Among other qualities, bacteria are famously known for being able to eat almost anything and multiply really quickly.

In what ways do you think that has helped them to survive for so long? What other qualities do you think have also contributed to their long history??